After sending the message, Ji Yan felt relieved. The accounting had really taken a toll on his brain. Some of the details were hard to recall, but more importantly, he was more upset about continuing to be involved with the Ji family. He would rather sever ties with them as soon as possible.
The result is that he is now over ten million in debt and has to work even harder.
"Have you talked to them?" Fang Yu tossed Ji Yan an ice pop. Ji Yan took a bite; it had an incredibly rich milky flavor.
Fang Yu and the others were very concerned about Ji Yan's situation. Ji Yan's attitude that day really shocked them. They never expected that Ji Yan would say such things to Ji Yushi.
As Ji Yan's teammates, they naturally all stood on Ji Yan's side.
Moreover, they didn't think there was anything wrong with what Ji Yan did.
The Ji family's differential treatment of Ji Yan and Ji Ruan is ingrained in their bones. Although Ji Yan is Ji Yushi's younger brother, the person he treats with all his heart is Ji Ruan. Fang Yu, Xie Mingxuan, and others have heard Ji Yushi or someone else criticize Ji Yan on the phone more than once.
That attitude made it seem as if Ji Yan was utterly wicked.
At least in Xie Mingxuan's and his friends' view, that was not a normal way for family members to get along.
As the older brother, Ji Yushi kept comparing Ji Yan and Ji Ruan, emphasizing how useless Ji Yan was, how he was helped to secure a debut spot in "Idol Century" and was forced into the group "Wings", wasting so many resources.
But he never considered that if Ji Yan had the same living environment as Ji Ruan from childhood, with famous teachers guiding him in everything he studied, and a powerful family background to back him up after entering the entertainment industry, what's that saying again? With so many resources poured in, even a pig could become famous.
Who stole whose life?
Besides, did Ji Ruan really not rely on the Ji family's resources?
To Xie Mingxuan and his friends, who had worked their way up from nothing, this was the biggest joke. Even though they had gained immense popularity through "Idol Century," they had never lacked ridicule and sarcasm—from other idols who were jealous of their popularity, and from seniors who looked down on their rise to fame. This was the norm in the entertainment industry.
But Ji Ruan has had a smooth journey, with big-name endorsements and celebrity support... Given the Ji brothers' personalities, they would never allow others to bully Ji Ruan.
Compared to Ji Ruan, Ji Yan is like someone picked up from a garbage dump.
Ji Yan happily munched on his popsicle: "Let me make this clear, from today onwards I'm a millionaire in debt, so remember to treat me to a meal."
"A standard of less than 20 yuan is acceptable."
"Stop being so stingy, okay?" Ji Yan looked speechless. "Is this how you treat people with millions in debt?"
"Give me back my popsicle."
Ji Yan licked the popsicle before handing it to Fang Yu: "You really want it?"
"You can be any more disgusting."
Ji Yan sat down on the sofa: "To be honest, I feel much more relaxed now. At least I won't be criticized for anything I do anymore, or accused of ruining the Ji family's reputation. They also don't have to worry about having an outsider in their family. Fortunately, I haven't spent much time with them, only a year. It's really pointless to force people who have no feelings for each other together."
"Whatever makes you happy." Xie Mingxuan patted Ji Yan on the shoulder. "Since you're so pitiful, I can treat you to a big meal that costs 50 yuan per person."
"Hey, you guys must be celebrities, at least millionaires, right? Have pity on me, a penniless old man?"
“But we really haven’t worked for quite a while,” Lu Wei sighed. “Fortunately, we just need to focus on preparing the album recently.”
In fact, the album's pre-production work was almost complete. Xie Mingxuan, Lu Wei, and Fang Yu all had their own compositions, and Ji Yan also had one. He originally didn't plan to participate in the composition, but after watching the "Blue" concert that night, Ning Wei's performance on stage touched him, and he had a strong urge to write something.
Ji Yan's music theory knowledge is very weak. Even with his intensive study during this period, it is difficult for him to catch up with others. However, his passion for creation and the emotions he wants to express in his music outweigh everything else. He wrote it haltingly, supplementing it little by little. He listened to all of "Blue's" albums and consulted Xie Mingxuan. Now, he has finally produced a half-finished product.
It's only a semi-finished product.
Because in Ji Yan's vision, this work should be more passionate and pure, touching his ears more, just like the "Blue" work.
Ji Yan always remembered the feeling of being struck in the heart at that moment.
But he knew very well that the reason he couldn't produce a finished product was because he wasn't capable enough and had reached a bottleneck. However, he couldn't change this situation for the time being, so he could only learn more and see if he could write a song that satisfied him.
...
Ji Yan was still thinking about writing songs in the morning, but his manager Ye Ying came to see them in the afternoon.
"A new job?"
"Two music variety shows have specifically requested your participation." Ye Ying glanced at Ji Yan. "One is 'Echo' on Lemon TV. The production team revealed that it was Ji Ruan who recommended you."
"Another one is 'The Voice of China' on Snow Mountain TV. It's a cover song variety show. You've probably seen news about the show online."
Ji Yan blinked: "Are you sure... they specifically asked for me?"
Not to brag, but looking at the entire entertainment industry, he is a typical example of someone who is good at nothing. He has been kicked out of the entertainment industry 165 times a year. Under such circumstances, would any variety show still invite him?
“I’m sure.” Ye Ying’s expression was calm. “Echo participated as a group, while The Voice only invited you as a solo artist.”
"The reviews for 'Echo' and 'The Voice'... I remember they weren't very good, and the ratings weren't good either," Fang Yu pondered. "Echo, especially. A group from Migratory Bird Entertainment participated in 'Echo,' and they all became withdrawn afterward."
As for "The Voice of China," as a cover song variety show, almost every cover song is a classic, and these songs often have a group of loyal fans. The singers who participate in the show are criticized by fans in various ways, and often as soon as a new episode airs, the word "unpleasant to listen to" immediately climbs to the top of the trending searches.
And this variety show just happened to invite Ji Yan to participate... Not only did Ji Yan himself figure out the reason, but Xie Mingxuan and Lu Wei also understood why.
They just want to become famous through controversy. For variety shows, attracting fans through quality is one approach, and getting criticized out of the public eye is another.
“You can give it a try. Although the ratings for ‘The Voice of China’ are only so-so, the mentors and judges invited by the production team are all very talented. Haven’t you been hitting a roadblock lately? They might be able to help you,” Ye Ying said. “However, this is just a suggestion, because ‘The Voice of China’ is a competition-style show, and you’re very likely to be eliminated in the first round.”
Ji Yan rested his chin on his hand and thought for a moment: "I guess everyone thinks I'll be eliminated in the first round, right?"
"I've decided, I want to participate."
After deciding to take on this variety show, Ji Yan carefully researched the information about "The Voice of China". All the songs performed on "The Voice of China" are classics, and the production team spent a considerable amount of money, with copyright fees alone accounting for a large sum. The five mentors invited to the show were also once influential figures in the music scene. According to the competition system, the show has a total of 12 episodes. The first 6 episodes are the preliminary rounds, with a total of 8 contestants participating in each round. Contestants who receive more than three votes from the five mentors can enter the next 6 episodes, and a champion singer will be selected in the final round.
The show "The Voice of China" has now reached its fourth episode, and Ji Yan will be participating in the fifth episode. Despite the presence of many big names, it has not been able to save the show from its declining ratings.
In fact, besides creating hype, inviting Ji Yan to participate was also because the "Singer" program team had no other options. In front of discerning fans, the invited singers had to cherish their reputation.
In addition, the song selection for "The Voice of China" is a set topic, meaning that the songs are not chosen by the singers themselves, but are assigned by the program team, and singers who sing the same song automatically become opponents.
Ji Yan received his song list that afternoon, and a look of surprise appeared on his face the moment he saw the song title and the singer.
"What song?" Lu Wei asked curiously, leaning closer. "The Traveler???"
Ji Yan took a deep breath: "It's just such a coincidence."
This is definitely the song that the "Wings" group is most familiar with. After returning from the "Blue" concert, Ji Yan has been playing this song on repeat. They can hear this song as soon as they start work in the morning. Ji Yan not only listens to it, but he also often hums this song himself. He likes all of "Blue's" songs, but this song "Traveler" can be ranked number one in his heart.
"Let's practice!"
Ji Yan clenched his fist: "Practice!"
His eyes were full of fighting spirit. He might not be able to sing other songs well, but he would definitely give it his all for the song "Blue".
...
The day after the fourth episode of "The Voice of China" ended, the lineup for the next episode was announced. Various marketing accounts were the first to follow up, and netizens also paid close attention to the list of contestants for the new episode.
"Ye Zhiyao, Hu Pingyuan, Zhao Ying, Gu Yi... the lineup seems pretty good... wait, wait, am I seeing things? Ji Yan is participating in the next episode???!!!"
Which Ji Yan?
"Ji Yan???? Is the production team crazy or am I blind? There's no need for this. If it can't continue, they can just shut it down early. Seriously, @The Voice of China production team."
"You're insane!! Seriously, Ji Yan's scenes in Idol Generation are still my nightmares. If I commit a crime, please punish me with the law, instead of making Ji Yan sing."
"It could have killed me outright, but it chose a more cruel method."
However, the nightmare didn't end there, because netizens discovered that both Ji Yan and Ye Zhiyao had sung the song "The Traveler" under the corresponding song list for the contestants.
The first to be upset were not the netizens, but the "blue" fans.
"Ji Yan is completely unworthy of singing blue songs, okay? Is there something seriously wrong with 'The Voice of China'?"
"#JiYanGetOutOfTheEntertainmentIndustry##JiYanGetOutOfTheVoiceOfChina#"
"Must I still be dreaming? Ji Yan is going to sing 'The Traveler'? What did I do wrong to deserve this punishment?"
The marketing account thoughtfully posted a 20-minute compilation of Ji Yan's off-key singing. This video once topped the annual viewership charts on a certain video website. Some parents even used this video to discipline their children, saying that if their children didn't study hard, they should make them listen to Ji Yan's songs all the time.
"Is the nightmare starting again?"
"Heavens above! Strike Ji Yan with a bolt of lightning and kill him!!"
"My only consolation right now is that Ye Zhiyao should be able to beat Ji Yan. We just need to endure one more episode."
"You're so naive upstairs. I thought the same thing when I watched 'Idol Generation,' and now you've seen the result."
“Every episode of ‘Idol Generation’! The mentors all praised Ji Yan for being lively, agile, and having an unpolished feel. Now I’m scared when I see the words ‘unpolished.’ If he sings like this even when he’s unpolished, what would happen if he were polished?”
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